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Family Spokesman: James Gandolfini's Body to Return to U.S. on Monday

The actor's family thanked Hillary and Bill Clinton along with the State Department for assistance.

The family of James Gandolfini is planning on returning the actor's body to the U.S. on Monday.

"We are now looking at hopefully getting James Gandolfini's remains back to the States tomorrow," said Michael Kobold, Gandolfini family spokesman, in a statement released by HBO on Sunday. "The provisional plan is to depart Rome tomorrow afternoon and arrive in the U.S. in the evening."

Kobold stated: "On behalf of the Gandolfini family, I would like to thank the Italian authorities for all the assistance they have rendered in expediting the formalities necessary to repatriate James Gandolfini's remains to the United States."

During a vacation to Italy, the 51-year-old actor died Wednesday night of a cardiac arrest, hospital officials confirmed. Gandolfini was said to have finished a tour of Rome with his family before returning to the hotel and suffering a heart attack.

Kobold also thanked Secretary of State John Kerry, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton for assistance.

"We would like to thank the United States government, especially Secretary Kerry and our friends at the State Department for helping us in this time of need," the family statement read. "Our expressed thanks to the people at the Italy desk at the State Department for working day and night on our behalf. We thank President Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton for their kind support."